


Motivating Vala To Succeed

by stargatefan_archivist



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Drama, Episode: s03e18 Shades of Grey, Episode: s10e02 Morpheus, Gen, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-07-23
Updated: 2008-07-23
Packaged: 2018-12-17 17:06:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11855964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stargatefan_archivist/pseuds/stargatefan_archivist
Summary: Jack has a little chat with Vala about behavior





	Motivating Vala To Succeed

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Yuma, the archivist: this work was originally archived at [Stargatefan.com](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Stargatefan.com). To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [StargateFan Archive Collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/StargateFan_Archive_Collection).

As Vala approached General Landry’s open door, she heard an unfamiliar voice. “I think it’s best if I talk to her. We have certain experiences in common.”

She felt a slight apprehension as she knocked on the door and waited.

The two men inside stood to greet her. General Landry motioned her inside. “Ah, Vala. Come in. This is General Jack O’Neill. He’d like to have a word with you. Jack, Vala Mal Doran.” 

General Landry moved around his desk and toward the door. “You can use my office, Jack. I’m taking my daughter out to lunch. We’ll get to the rest of those reports tomorrow, if that’s all right.” At Jack’s nod, he raised a hand and left the room.

Jack sat behind the desk that had been his at one time, and moved a file to the front. "Take a seat, Ms. Mal Doran. I would say that it’s a pleasure to meet you, but the circumstances of our little chat are not ‘pleasant’.

Vala gave him a large smile, hiding her unease. She took a seat on the visitor side of the desk. “Please, call me Vala.” She didn’t think that charm was going to work on the General. She’d heard too much about him to believe that, but it was worth a try.

Jack narrowed his eyes and opened the file. She was barking up the wrong tree. He pushed it toward her with one finger. “Read that. _Vala_.”

Vala glanced at the file and looked back at the General. Confidently, she hoped. “I’ve read the report about this mission, actually. Cameron had it in his office. He reads all your fascinating reports.” She tried another ingratiating smile.

“So, you are aware that when someone on an SG team was suspected of stealing from our allies, it was considered serious enough to warrant an undercover investigation. And to end the career of the otherwise fine officer.” Jack tapped the report and frowned. He hadn’t liked Makepeace, but wished he hadn’t been involved. It wasn’t a win for anyone. “SG teams must be above reproach. And since you've read the report, you know about that.”

Vala didn’t like where this seemed to be going, but she nodded brightly. “Yes, General.”

“See, that surprises me, because it makes _this_ a little hard to understand.” He pulled out a large necklace which he dangled in front of her, eyebrows raised.

Precious stones decorated heavy links of a chain, from which hung intricately worked disks. The links and disks were crafted in silver, and each of the disks was inlaid with a small amount of gold. More precious stones decorated the disks in complex patterns. 

Vala swallowed, and then decided to brazen it out. “I merely found that trinket wedged between the packing crates of a shipment of trade goods. I was holding onto it, for safekeeping, until I could locate the rightful owner. I must say, I don’t think it was right of you to go through my things! It implies a lack of trust that I find very -”

“That shipment of medicinal plants from P49-882 arrived two weeks ago. It was unpacked right away; scientists are so excitable. And yet… No mention of your little discovery.” Jack put the necklace back in his pocket.

“I was making discreet inquiries…”

He looked at her seriously. “You just joined the team and Daniel stuck his neck out for you. He promised Landry that he’d keep you in line. This reflects on him.”

Vala felt truly chagrined. The last thing she wanted was for anyone to think less of Daniel because of her.

Jack read her face and changed tack. “Look, we all know that you’re committed to the fight against the Ori, and to SG-1. You’ve proven that. You’ve had a hard time this year, and that’s a huge understatement. I’m guessing the whole necklace thing was more of a reflex than anything else." Jack wasn't so sure about that, but Daniel seemed to be. "We can just call it a ‘relapse’. That depends on you." 

That sounded promising. Vala smiled again, more genuinely, this time.

Jack tapped the report again and sighed. “There’s some stuff that isn’t in here.” He stood and wandered over to a picture by the door. He stared at it without really seeing. “When the rest of the team thought I stole from our allies, they worried about me. They tried to defend me. They couldn’t, of course. What they thought I did was indefensible.” He shot her a quick glance before returning his gaze to the photograph. “That put them in an impossible position and it damaged the team."

He turned back to the desk and picked up a paperweight. “I mislead them, and lied to them. When that came out, it was worse than when they thought I was stealing. Especially for Daniel.” He replaced the paperweight and looked at her. "Mitchell wasn't here for that, but he wouldn't have reacted any differently."

“You keep stealing and they won’t be able to help you. You’ll have lied to them, too. They’ll get to see you dragged through the gate to an offworld prison. How do you think they’ll feel about that?”

They would feel terrible. She knew, because that’s how she would feel if they did the same thing, and got caught. Well, she wouldn’t mind the stealing, just the offworld prison part. But she knew they’d feel betrayed, as well. They were just so ridiculously honest. She played with the edges of the report and said nothing. There seemed to be a lump in her throat that interfered with speech.

Jack sat behind the desk again.

Vala cleared her throat. “Do they know?” 

“Just Daniel.”

Vala dropped her head.

“He was there when the Headwoman mentioned the loss of her necklace this morning. She was pretty upset. It’s been in her family for hundreds of years. Daniel clued in right away. Our Danny-boy isn’t stupid, you know. You might want to remember that.”

Jack raised an eyebrow. “He told her the crates hadn’t been unpacked yet. I doubt he enjoyed lying to her. You know Daniel. He prefers to avoid that kind of thing. He said he’d look for her necklace. What he didn’t say was that he was going to look for it in your quarters. And I wouldn’t get all miffed about the invasion of privacy. General Landry was all for letting the MP’s do it, but Daniel wanted to be more discreet.”

“Is he very angry?” Vala’s voice was almost inaudible.

“Oh, yes! Very. Full blown pissy Daniel.” He was going for effect. Daniel wasn't surprised enough to be angry, although he was pretty disappointed.

“Oh….” Her head dropped lower.

“Daniel thinks we can smooth things over. The clasp is obviously broken. We’ll send along a nice new gold one, and a couple of gold disks, to make up for not finding it sooner. Apparently, there is almost no gold on the planet. Daniel thinks that she’ll be too tickled to question our explanation further. I don’t need to mention the part about him not liking to lie to our allies again, do I?”

Vala shook her head.

Jack closed the report. “This goes no further, unless it happens again, but if anything else goes missing…”

“It won’t. I promise.” Vala raised her head and met his eyes. 

“Okay, then. We’re done here.”

Vala rose, feeling more remorseful than she had about anything since she had been host to Qetesh. Then she had a thought. “General, what about our enemies? Surely, it might be helpful to -”

“Only if Daniel says it’s okay. He’s a good conscience.”

Vala started for the door.

“Oh, and Vala…”

She turned back to face him.

“I know Daniel rises to the bait in a really satisfying way. Believe me, I know, but dial it back a notch or two. He’s no good to us if you give him apoplexy, and his brain explodes.” Jack gave her a wry smile. He felt like a hypocrite. Although, from what he’d been told, Vala took things to a whole new level.

Vala managed to smile back. “Well, one notch, maybe. I can't promise two. You wouldn’t want me to lie, after all.” Her smile grew and she headed into the hall.

Jack shook his head. He picked up the phone and punched a few numbers. “Hey, Daniel... I think it went pretty well. I seem to have made an impression... Yeah, she just left. I told her you're just bursting with wrath, so work up an extra pissy mood... Yes, you do... You do... Daniel, I’ve been on the receiving end... Well, what would you call it?”... Jack let out a laugh. “Okay, you just think that. Call me when you’re done. I want pie.”


End file.
